Dice tumbling chamber with timer

ABSTRACT

A rectangular chamber having opposite planar walls has a timing glass in a vertical position at one end with a plurality of dice in the chamber. Each die has a letter of the alphabet on each face thereof. A plurality of bar members extend between opposite side walls of the chamber at different elevations. On reversing the chamber, the timer is actuated and the dice are tumbled by striking the bar members. As many words as possible as determined by the upturned faces of the dice are scored in the time alloted by the timing glass.

United States Patent [191 Compton- [54] DICE TUMBLING CHAMBER WITH TIMER [76] Inventor: Donald M. Compton, P.O. Box 525,

Aromas, Calif. 95004 22 Filed: Nov. 15,1971

21 Appl.No.: 198,730

[52] [1.8. Cl ..273/1 R, 273/145 C, 35/35 R,

35/71, 58/144 [51] Int. Cl. ..A63f 9/04 [58] Field of Search ..273/l45 C, 145 CA, 145 R, 145 A,273/l45 B, 145 D, 145 E, 148 R, l R, 134

CB, 134 D, 134 DB, 134 B, 135 R, 135 AA,

135 D, 138 R, 144 R, 144 A, 144 B, 120 R,

120 A, 102 R, 102.1 R, 102.1 CM, 102.1 G,

104,105 R, 103, 101; 40/l06.2l, 106.25;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 591,269 10/1897 DuBois ..273/145 C 2,625,396 l/l953 Frechtmann ....273/140 X 2,739,815 3/1956 Fay 273/l45 C 51 Apr. 3, 1973 2,985,453 5/1961 Matisz ..273/l45 C 3,101,587 8/1963 Patrick ..273/148 R 3,120,735 2/1964 McMeans ..58/144 3,333,851 8/1967 Rosen ..273/120 R 3,463,487 8/1969 Tepper ..273/1 R OTHER PUBLICATIONS Rolling Reader and Rolling Phonics. Sears Fall and Winter Catalog. Page 899.

Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle Assistant ExaminerAmold W. Kramer Attorney-Carl Hoppe et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A rectangular chamber having opposite planar walls has a timing glass in a vertical position at one end with a plurality of dice in the chamber. Each die has a letter of the alphabet on each face thereof. A plurality of bar members extend between opposite side walls of the chamber at different elevations. On reversing the chamber, the timer is actuated and the dice are tumbled by striking the bar members. As many words as possible as determined by the upturned faces of the dice are scored in the time alloted by the timing glass.

2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 1 DICE TUMBLING CHAMBER WITII TIMER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the game device. FIG. 2 is a section taken along the line 2-2. FIG. 3 is a section taken along the line 3--3.

FIG. 4 is a representation of a form of score card.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The device comprises a rectangular container, generally indicated at 6, having opposite side walls 7 and 8, end walls 9 and 11 and horizontal walls 12 and 13. Interiorly of the container 6, I provide a partition wall 14 spaced from end wall 9 and joined to the walls 12 and 13. Transverse walls 16 and 17 extend between wall 14 and wall 9 to position a timing device 18 in place. The timer comprises two compartments 21 and 22 joined by areduced neck portion 23. The timing device is filled with fine sand, the quantity being such that'it requires the expiration of a time interval of the order of 35 seconds for the powder to pass from the upper chamber to the lower chamber.

Rods 23 and 24 are secured, respectively, along walls 7 and 8. Extending between walls 7 and 8 and supported by rods 23 and 24 are several transverse rods 26 while supported midway between the plane of rods 26 and end walls 12 and 13 are rods 27 and 28. The rods 26, 27 and 28 act as scramblers for five dice 29 which are within the device and each of which carries a series of letters of the alphabet, each die being difi'erently lettered from any other as follows:

To start the game, each player is given a score sheet and pencil and one player is selected to start the play. He turns the dice scrambler 6 on end to start the sand in the timing glass toward the otherend of the timer and to scramble the dice. When the dice have settled to the bottom, the player starts spelling a word or words,

using only the letters showing on the top of the dice. The same letter on a die may be used more than once. For example, if the five top letters on the dice are r-un-o-y, one can count two words,, run and you, using letter u twice. The longest word possible there fore will contain five letters. Words must be spelled aloud and each word is pronounced audibly after it has been spelled.

Usually the person on the right of the player keeps score for Time is of the essence. AH words must be spelled out by the time the sand in the upper chamber of the timer has emptied into the lower chamber. The player nearest the timer calls time when all sand has emptied.

If the word being spelled has not been finished when time is called, it is not counted. However, it may be pronounced after time has been called, if it has been spelled aloud by the time the sand has emptied.

When his turn has ended, the player passes the scrambler to the player on his left, who then starts his turn by turning the scrambler over and following the same procedure as the first player.

The game is over when each player has completed 10 tums.-The player with the highest total wins, or if all three gameson one score sheet have been played, the

player with the highest GRAND TOTAL wins.

A player scores two points for each word spelled. The player keeping score may make small marks in the top of each square or on the back of the card to keep count of words spelled, then multiply by two when the turn is over to provide the total score in that turn.

A player also scores 10 points in the BONUS SEC- TION for each five letter word. In addition, players may score 20 points in the BONUS SECTION if he spells the word BOUND, or any word that rhymes with BOUND, such as SOUND or l-IOUND, etc. Words that rhyme with BOUND, therefore, have a total value 32 points as they may be scored in each section of the score sheet.

If a player cannot spell any word with letters showing on top of the dice, he must score zero for that turn.

Ifthe dice are cocked or stacked, the player may turn the scrambler again and start anew.

Any word that is acceptable to, all players may be counted, including proper names and abbreviations, if agreed upon first. In case of a dispute, one should consult a dictionary. Words having more than one meaning may be counted only once inveach turn, as the variety of words is the object and not the variety of meanings.

I claim:

1. A game device comprising a rectangular chamber having opposite planar walls, a timing glass at one end of the chamber in a vertical position, a plurality of bar members extending between opposite side walls at different elevations, and a plurality of dice in the chamber each having a letter of the alphabet on each face thereof whereby on inverting the chamber the .falling dice are tumbled by the bar members and the timing glass assumes an inverted vertical position to start. a timing cycle during which a player forms words utilizing letters on the upturned faces of the dice.

2. A game device as in claim 1 wherein a selected plurality of said bar members extend between the side walls approximately'medially between the top and bottom walls with a single bar member also extending between the side walls intermediate said selected plurality and the respective top and bottom walls. 

1. A game device comprising a rectangular chamber having opposite planar walls, a timing glass at one end of the chamber in a vertical position, a plurality of bar members extending between opposite side walls at different elevations, and a plurality of dice in the chamber each having a letter of the alphabet on each face thereof whereby on inverting the chamber the falling dice are tumbled by the bar members and the timing glass assumes an inverted vertical position to start a timing cycle during which a player forms words utilizing letters on the upturned faces of the dice.
 2. A game device as in claim 1 wherein a selected plurality of said bar members extend between the side walls approximately medially between the top and bottom walls with a single bar member also extending between the side walls intermediate said selected plurality and the respective top and bottom walls. 